Tan Chen, MD, is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Falls Church, Va.-based Inova Health System, where he specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery, outpatient procedures, enhanced recovery after surgery and complex spinal reconstructions.
Dr. Chen has particular expertise in motion preservation and arthroplasty, revision surgery and perioperative optimization of patient outcomes. His clinical approach centers on reducing recovery time and improving patient safety through minimally invasive techniques.
In a March 2026 Becker’s article, Dr. Chen spoke about the innovations he sees reshaping spine surgery.
“It’s still in a renaissance where people are trying all these different things,” he said. “Nobody really knows for sure what the gold standard is or what’s actually going to work well.”
Dr. Chen said he expects endoscopic and awake spine surgery to emerge as the field’s next major advances.
“Where endoscopic could really shine is in endoscopic fusion procedures where there’s even less soft tissue trauma, smaller incisions,” he said. “It’s a very focused procedure where more and more patients can have it even if they may not normally be able to have a traditional surgery.”
Dr. Chen has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and has presented at more than 125 national and international academic conferences. His recent research includes a 2024 study evaluating GPT-4’s concordance with North American Spine Society guidelines for lumbar fusion surgery.
He earned his undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Hanover, N.H.-based Dartmouth College and his medical degree from East Lansing-based Michigan State University. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency and a combined orthopedic and neurosurgical spine fellowship at the University of Toronto in Canada. Dr. Chen is speaking at Becker’s 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, set for June 11-13 at the Swissotel Chicago.
At the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, taking place June 11-13 in Chicago, spine surgeons, orthopedic leaders and ASC executives will come together to explore minimally invasive techniques, ASC growth strategies and innovations shaping the future of outpatient spine care. Apply for complimentary registration now.
